Balance means and sash assembly



March 17, 1970 w. o. JOHNSON BALANCE MEANS AND 'SASH ASSEMBLY 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March '28, 1968 INVENTOR. WALDO O. JOHNSON BY ywawzo w ATTOR N E Y5.

March 17, 1970 Filed March 28, 1968 FIG.2

w. o. JOHNSON 3,500,586

BALANCE MEANS AND SASH ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- WALDOQJOHNSON ATTORN EYS.

United States Patent 3,500,586 BALANCE MEANS AND SASH ASSEMBLY Waldo 0.Johnson, Wooster, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, toGeorgia-Pacific Corporation, Portland,

0reg., a corporation of Georgia Filed Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 716,736Int. Cl. Ed 13/12 US. Cl. 49431 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aslidably positioned single or double hung window sash assembly isprovided and it is characterized by the use of a single coil springpositioned in a top header of the window assembly and operativelyengaging a pair of block and tackle assemblies which resiliently engageand position a sash operatively in the window assembly by individualcords extending from the block and tackle assemblies and operativelyengaging a window sash. The sash is slidably positioned in the assemblyby sash runner strips having flanges thereon slidably engaging flangesformed on side jamb liners positioned in the assembly.

This invention relates to slidably positioned windows and particularlyto a pair of vertically slidable window sashes positioned in a windowassembly by improved, low cost balance means.

Heretofore there have been many different types of win,- dow assembliesprovided and in many instances, pairs of balance means operativelyengage each sash in a window assembly to facilitate vertical slidingaction thereof.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved slidable window sashassembly wherein balance means are presentto engage the window sash but wherein such balance means have a commonspring member controlling two individual balance members operativelyengaging a window sash.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coil spring in a topheader of a window assembly and wherein such coil spring operativelyengages a pair of individual block and tackle means each having aflexible cord connecting thereto and extending therefrom with a pair ofsuch cords from the two block and tackle means operatively engaging asash to facilitate vertical movement of the sash.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improvedvertically movable window sash assemblies wherein the sash operativelyengages a side jamb liner by the means of complementary shaped flangeson the side jamb liner laterally inner surface engaging flanges on thelaterally outer surface of the window sash assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedpivotally positioned window sash in a sturdy window assembly having along service life with a minimum of maintenance.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will bemade more apparent as the specification proceeds.

For an understanding of the invention, reference is made to theaccompaying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section, with portions thereof broken away, of adouble hung window sash assembly embodying the principles of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the top header and associated means of thewindow assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially broken away, horizontal section of the window sashassembly of FIG. 1, with the window sashes therein horizontally alignedand shown in elevation; and

"ice

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section of the window sashpositioning means and a portion of the side jamb assembly associatedtherewith.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification, corresponding numerals are used tofacilitate comparison therebetween.

Attention now particularly is directed to the details of the structureshown in the drawings, and a window assembly is indicated as whole bythe numeral 1. Such window assembly 1, in this embodiment of theinvention, is shown as comprising a pair of sashes 2 and 3 positioned inthe assembly for sliding movement in vertical planes. The windowassembly 1 is operatively associated with a building 4 that includessuitable side jambs 5 and 6 for the window assembly. A top header 7forms the upper portion of the window assembly and a sill 8 completesthe framing means for the sashes to be operatively positioned in thewindow assembly.

As an important feature of the present invention resides in the meansassociated with the top header 7, such part of the window assembly 1'will be first described in detail. Preferably this top head 7 is formedfrom an extruded metal member and it is made from any conventionalmaterial, such as aluminum, and is of generally U-shape in verticalsection, as indicated in FIG. 1. Such header 1 includes a pair of edgeflanges 9 and 10 and the header 7 is of such a size as to be received ina conventional window opening that may be defined by trim strips 11 and12 secured in the building '4. In addition, the header 7 has anothervertically upwardly extending flange 13 provided therein adjacent theflange 10, and the top header has a pair of parallel, downwardlyextending flanges 14 and 15 that are adapted to engage the upper sash 3when moved to its uppermost position. These flanges 14 and 15 may haveany suitable resilient guide or sealing strips 16 and 17 secured theretowith the strip 16 having a sealing rib 116 thereon.

It is a feature of the invention that a coil spring 20 is provided forcontrolling the position of the lower sash 2 and a similar coil spring21 is provided to engage and control the vertical position and movementto engage and FIG. 2 of the drawings clearly shows that shafts 22 and 23are suitably secured to and extend between the flanges 9 and 13 to bepositioned thereby perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the headeradjacent the ends thereof. A plurality of individual sheaves 24, 24 and25, 25 are journalled on the individual shafts 22 and 23, respectively,and multi-sheave blocks 26 and 27 are secured to the spring 20, at theends thereof. An operative block and tackle means, or assembly is formedby threading a cord 28 around the block 26 and the sheaves 24 associatedwith the shaft 22, with one end of the cord 28 extending down through anaperture in the lower portion of the header 7. The other end of the cord28 is aflixed to the multisheave block 26. This aperture has a suitablesleeve or grommet 29 therein, so that an end of the cord 28 can extenddown to and operatively engage the lower sash 2. A similar cord 30engages the block 27 and the associated sheaves 25 on the shaft 23 andlikewise extends down for operative engagement with the opposite side ofthe sash 2 whereby a balanced lifting action can be obtained on thesash, as hereinafter described. It will be seen that any movement of thesash 2 upwardly results in an elongation of the block and tackle meansengaging each end of the spring 20 as well as a shortening of thespring, and that lowering the sash will cause a reduction in length ofthe block and tackle assemblies and an elongation of the coil springwhereby one coil spring is used for operative association with andforming, in eifect, a component of each of a pair of balance meansengaging the sash 2. Or, it can be considered that a unitary balancemeans engages both sides of the sash and controls the verticalpositioning thereof.

The means engaging the sash 3 are similar in construction and operationto those engaging the sash 2 and will not be described in detail.

In order to complete the operative positioning of the sashes in theWindow assembly, a side jamb liner 40 is operatively positioned on thelaterally inner surface of each of the side jambs 5 and 6. Such liners40 normally are resiliently positioned in relation to the side jambs, asby having some resilient pad or strip 41 made from foamed polyurethane,rubber or equivalent material, spacing them from the side jambs. Theside jamb liners 40 may slidably engage with stops or trim strips 42 and43 providedin the window assembly. The side jamb liners 40 areresiliently urged laterally inwardly at all times by a plurality ofmembers, such as coil springs 44, that are operativelypositionedintermediate the side jambs 5 and 6 and the liners 40, asindicated in FIG. 4.

These side jamb liners are of stepped construction whereby a widerwindow sash receiving opening is provided for engaging the lower sash 2in relation to the upper sash 3 so that these sashes can be pivotallypositioned in the apparatus and be exposed for cleaning, repair, orother purposes. Thus, to position and engage the sashes with the sidejamb liners, a plurality of sash runner members 45, 46, 47 and 48 areprovided with a pair of such runner strips-being operatively associatedwith the vertical side rails of each of the sashes. The sash runnermembers or strips preferably are made from a low fric tion plasticmaterial. These runner strips 45 through 48 each are provided with acentrally located, laterally inwardly extending rib 49 thereon whichoperatively engages with a complementary shaped recess provided in thevertical side rail of the sashes, and each of these runner stripsterminates in converging flanges 50 and 51 at the laterally outerportions of each runner strip. In general, the runner strips are ofsubstantially U-shape in section, and these flanges 50 and 51 are shapedcomplementary to pairs of diverging flanges formed on the laterallyinner surfaces of the liners 40 at the portions thereof engaging thesashes. These diverging flanges are indicated by the numerals 52 and 53and the flanges 50 and 51 slidably engage the flanges 52 and 53'andoperatively position the sashes for vertical movement. The sashes can bepivoted with relation to the runner strips 45 through 48 by members,such as pivot pins 60 suitably engaging the lower ends of each of thesashes and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, with such pivot pins60 extending through suitable apertures in or otherwise being secured inengagement withthe runner strips. The jamb liners can be moved laterallyoutwardly to spring the sashes out of engagement with the'runner strips.

The balance means provided in the window assembly of the inventionoperatively engage the sash by the cords 28 and 30 extending down to apair of the runner strips and 46, for example, engaging the lower sash 2whereby the balance means facilitate vertical sliding movement of thewindow sashes. If desired, any suitable means can be provided on theside jamb liners 40 or other portions of the frame to restrain the sashrunner strips from vertical upward movement when a window sash isdisengaged therefrom.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that a novel and improvedwindow assembly has been provided and that efficient, low cost andpractical balance means are provided to facilitate the positioning andmovement of the individual sashes in the window assembly. Thus, theobjects of the invention are thought to be achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particularembodiment of the-invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vertically slida ble window assembly including a header, sidejambs, a sash, and means slidably engaging said sash with said sidejambs, the combination of a coil spring extending longitudinally of saidheader,

a shaft secured to said header adjacent each end thereof and extendingperpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof,

a plurality of aligned sheave means journalled on each of said shafts,

a multi-sheave means operatively secured to each end of said coilspring,

a cord means operatively threaded around and operatively engaging thesheaves of each of said sheave means to form a block and tackle means,an end of each of said cord means extending down to and engaging saidsash to position it in the window assembly,

a side jamb liner for each said side jamb,

a sash runner strip slidably interlocked with each of said side jambliners,

means securing said sash to said sash runner strips to position saidsash extending therebetween,

said side jamb liner being of channel shape in horizontal section andhaving a pair of vertically extending diverging flanges on the laterallysurfaces thereof, and

said sash runner'strips terminating at their laterally outer margins ina pair of converging flanges slidably engaging said side jamb linerflanges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,142 11/1935 Morris -191825,001 7/1906 Mullins, et al. 49-446 XR 1,880,870 10/1932 Demo 16193 XR3,248,821 5/1966 Johnson 49430 XR 3,358,403 12/1967 Dinsmore 16-197 XRKENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

